1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a film accumulating device for a developing apparatus which is installed in the vicinity of the film outlet of the developing apparatus in a manner such as to accumulate leaders, together with developed films, in an aligned state.
2. Description of the Priot Art
Development of films, particularly color films, generally includes the steps of development, bleaching, fixing, rinsing, stabilization and drying. The number of steps required for development of color films is generally large as compared with that required for the development of monochrome films.
For this reason, these days, all the steps required for development of films are automatically carried out by means of a conveyor system. A typical automatic developing apparatus adopting a conveyor system has conventionally been arranged such that a film pulled out of a film cassette by a film feed device is passed by a conveyor belt through treating tanks containing the respective treating solutions, such as a developing solution, a bleaching solution, a fixing solution, rinsing water and a stabilizing solution, and is then passed through a dryer before being deposited in a predetermined box.
Further, the film feed device is arranged such that, when the film has been totally pulled out of the film cassette, a cutter is actuated such as to cut the trailing end of the film from the spool of the film cassette.
On the other hand, a conventional film accumulating device has such a structure that a multiplicity of films which have been subjected to the development process are successively dropped into a predetermined box. Owing to this structure, the image carrying surfaces of the films may be disadvantageously flawed, or each of the accumulated films may be electrostatically charged, and this may undesirably cause adhesion of dust on the films.
Further, since the films in the box are not in an aligned state, it is inconveniently necessary for an operator to take them out and arrange in order. In addition, in order to observe the finished state of each of the films in the box, it is necessary to take them out one by one.